UNSW Architectural Design Studio

Matraville Library: Model

Working Model

Matraville Library: Technical Drawings

Presentation Mockup

Floor Plans

South Elevation

West Elevation

Section A-A

Section B-B

Architectural Design Studio 4: Matraville Library

Site Mapping

Concept Development

Project 3: King Street Gallery Final Model

Use of abstracted gallery spaces focused around a central circulation corridor is evident in the formation of the roofscape. Visitors have the option of 'peeling' off into the galleries adjacent the corridor on their way through the building, which can often be used as a thoroughfare much like the site is now. The narrow vertexes of these abstract spaces are also advantageous for sculptures/installations. Convergence of walls to a point focuses attention on object placed at junction.

Both the front and rear facades gradually step down from two storeys, and slope towards the courtyard and main gallery located at the centre. Main gallery circulation culminates at courtyard and eventually drains out secondary rear access (or conversely, used as entry point).

Use of steel frame and glazed roofing for circulation corridor and awning manipulates light to stimulate movement and focus attention. Initial entry zone of light created in by the concave nature of the facade welcomes visitors, and continues to penetrate through to the rear access.

Continuity of streetscape maintained with two storey facade and same height awning. Use of exterior cladding creates strong horizontal lines which draw the eye towards the entrance in the centre. Awning offers shelter from elements but importantly allows light penetration.

Straight corridor penetrates all the way through building and offers glimpse of rear access. The connection between rear residential zone and King Street maintained, and thoroughfare is encouraged through visual stimuli.

Use of evenly spaced columns instead of solid wall prevents creation of acute and useless gallery spaces at vertexes caused by abstract, polygonal forms.

Gradual stepping of roofscape evident, preventing the creation of unnecessary space by trying to maintain two storeys. This also allows windows to be inserted into differences in wall heights and for light to enter the gallery spaces.

Rear access opens directly into sculpture courtyard and main, well lit gallery. These serve as a initial focal point for entering the building and then moving through it, since direct vision towards King Street is blocked.

Living area and kitchen adjacent to courtyard, but directly off circulation path. Offers possibility of functions held in main gallery and courtyard to spill over into living space. Proximity of kitchen also makes it fairly easy to cater to these functions.

Rear private access facing carpark and rear lane offers client to transport equipment, materials etc. directly into stockroom and workshops located to rear. Also offers discrete access to more private domain of sit-in apartment.

Circulation area to apartment well lit with skylight.

Desire for well lit space for workshop.

Light enetering high up in gallery intended to diffuse down white wall surfaces, avoiding any damage to artworks caused by direct sunlight.

Office adjacent main gallery acts as central pivot point for program of spaces. Majority of galleries, both entrances and main cirulation spaces are visibile from here for security reasons.

Large folding doors to living space opened during functions.

Sit-in apartment on first floor to the rear feels far more enclosed and more dimly lit. No need for large areas of natural lighting due to more private nature of space.

Project 3: King Street Gallery Presentation Drawings

Plans:

Site Analysis & Section:

Main Gallery Plan & Section:

Interior Perspective Vignettes:

Project 3: King Street Gallery Working Model

A small scale (1:200) working model was produced in order to explore the possibilities for building's roofscape. Gradually dropping the ceiling heights from the initial two storeys presented in the visible facades helps to reduce unnecessary space. Viewed from side on, the gradual slopage of the overall roofscape towards the centre also focuses attention on the main gallery and courtyard. This "stepping" of the roofscape also allows for the possibility of large windows inserted just below the sloped rooflines. This can make the roofs appear to be partially floating above the spaces, and allow for the diffusion of natural lighting entering high up in the interior. This is desirable where direct natural lighting can damage artworks and ruin the ambience of the galleries.

Project 3: King Street Gallery Concept Development

The overall intention for the design was to:

Create a series of seemingly fragmented and abstract gallery spaces that reflected the styles of art to which the client is inclined;

Maintain the connection from rear residential areas to King Street by encouraging the existing pedestrian thoroughfare through the site; and

Reaffirm this thoroughfare in the gallery circulation so it may be used to encourage viewing of art by those passing by, and address clients concerns about disconnectedness.

In summary, the design was to be a fragmented, abstract space that encouraged the everyday passerby to view art. It should be noted that it was only the gallery spaces and sculpture courtyard that were intended to be used this way. The more private domains such as the sit-in apartment were designed so that they sat on the peripherals towards the rear of the site. The main circulation would also be encouraged to divert away from these areas.

Originally the design was to be based on a series of more conventional, oblong shaped spaces, but after several attempts at articulating the program, this approach was deemed lacking in terms of focusing the circulation in the desired manner. More acute and attention focusing, polygonal forms were used on a grid system overlayed on the site.

The use of a grid system smoothed the resolution of the gallery program. Once the program was resolved, appropriate sizing of spaces in order to appropriately focus the circulation was achieved.

The last stages of development involved resizing the scale of the spaces, treatment of openings, the articulation of the roofscape and refining the general experience of the spaces.

Project 3: King Street Gallery Client

The client for this project is Dr. Tom Loveday, who could be considered a contemporary abstract artist. Many of his artworks deals with abstracted forms and concepts which comment on a variety of philosophical topics. Although he works predominantly with painting, Dr. Loveday also works with installations, and has become increasingly interested in curating exhibitions.

Interestingly, Dr. Loveday comments on how art has become increasingly become divested of human emotion and quality. He discusses how the appreciation art, and art galleries themselves are increasingly seen as a realm exclusive to the intellectual and cultural elite; that the common everyday person considers themselves underqualified to appreciate art. This is in part due to the illusion of inaccessibility created by the design of private and public galleries, which often do not encourage the passerby to engage with the exterior and then move through the interior.

Project 3: King Street Gallery Site Analysis

The culture associated with the Newtown area also deals very much with pedestrian access and walkability focused around King Street venues. Looking at the distribution of the footpaths and pedestrian flow in and around Site 1, the way in which pedestrians regularly use the site as a thoroughfare which connects the rear residential zones with King Street is a unique quality.

Being a particularly long site wedged tightly between commercial properties, it became clear that the treatment of the two storey facades (and awnings), which face King Street and the rear residential lane, would be very important in designing an appropriate gallery. The way in which the rear carpark space is reguarly used as well as overall visibility were important factors to consider.